Forever Tree
by Jennie Arnold
Summary: Legend tells of a Princess and her partner called the Spirit King. Jon lives in a Shrine that surrounds a Tree from that time. Jon finds a Cavern under the tree. He explores and finds that he has been sent back in time! Jon saves the Emshi village from an attacking Boar Demon but is cursed for him efforts. He goes to find a cure but find that the curse comes with power.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

When foreigners think of Tokyo, Japan, they think of a huge city. The picture that comes to most peoples' minds is one of neon lights, tall buildings and crowded squares. Travelers like me know that such is not the case. Modern day Tokyo is more than kust a bustling metropolis: it is truly a diverse place, covered in not only tall skyscrapers but also dotted with parks and even small farms.

A truly remarkable story began in one of these small farms. This is a story I know few people will believe but remarkable people know that remarkable things happen every day.

On a normal day, in a farm just south of Tokyo's city center, a dark haired teenager got out of bed and began his chores. He did not do normal farm chores because his farm was not a normal farm – this farm was home to the Supirittokingusuri Shrine that housed a famous tree that the came from the age of the Spirit King. The teenager had to clean the shrine and inspect the tree for damage every day.

But… I am rambling. Let me tell you two important things about this teenage boy, Jon:

Long ago, an age-old war took place between men and Spirits. Legend tells of a Great Forest Spirit that was one of the strongest and most feared. Children in school today still learn of the long war and the spirits and men who fought in it. There is a warrior who tried to help the forces of man work with the forest spirit. The Great Forest Spirit was supposed to be so powerful that a whole army could not take him down but the Spirit listened to the warrior. The stories go on and on like this but Jon does not remember most of them… Jon knows that these stories are nothing but stories and did not really listen to them.

Jon's family has owned the Supirittokingusuri shrine for generations but Jon has no intention of taking over the shrine when he gets older… sure the shrine is an amazing place to live but Jon feel a pull drawing him away already… he just does not know what it is.

The next thing you should know is Jon hates his name. Jon is not even his real name – it is more of a nickname. I am using the nickname in this story simply because of Jon's pure imbarrassment over the real name. So, from here on out in the story, Jon it is!

Jon cringed as the voice of his mother rang through the shrine. She was calling him by his name and the echo vibrated acrossing the mist-filled valley where the shrine ws located. Jon could only roll his eyes and silently prayed that no one else could hear.

"Okay, Mom!" Jon yelled back, equally loud. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Jon ran to finish sweeping the deck and steps by the Supirittokingusuri tree. He knew that his mother would call out again if he did not come in soon. He just wanted to finish as quickly as possible but he continuously stopped in his work. Jon could not describe it, but something pulled and almost called him.

He would stop in his work and look around, swaring he heard a voice. Jon looked and saw no one. He began to think he was going crazy… could the voice be coming from the tree?

Jon had lived by the tree his whole life and had felt a pull to be near it often but this was the first time he had heard a voice coming from the tree he had played in as a child. Jon was sure that he had seen every inch of the tree but honestly he had never seen the tree below the deck where worshipers prayed. Jon knew in his heart-of-hearts that the voice was coming from that mysterious section beneath the deck.

He thought of running back to the house… his mother had called him after all. But really, how any times does a tree talk to a person? Jon knew he could not just walk away from this without examining further. He pushed his mother from his mind and walked foreward…

Jon knew that he just had to find whatever had been calling him. He got on his hands and knees and crawled in the dirt below the deck to get a closer look. Rocks and sticks dug into his knees and skins, cutting him until his skin stung and bled, but the voice continued to call to Jon and he could not stop. Desperation seemed to grab him… Jon simply could not stop unitl he found the source of the voice.

Jon became so desperate in his search that he became dazed. He was too dazed to be surprised when a cave-like enclosier appeared infront of him through the roots of the tree. The roots appeared in branch-like formations that twisted and twined into something like a thick braided vine. The braided center of the roots formed the floor of the cave. One wall of the cave was open with bars like a prison cell. The other two walls were so dark that Jon could not see the end of them.

He held his hand out expecting to feel the damb earth of the next wall after a small step or two. Jon's hand didn't touch the wall after two steps, so he took two more and two more and two more… eventually he stopped counting and just kept walking. His feet were tired and his legs begged for rest but Jon knew that the voice needed him to come and he could not stop until he found the source of the voice. So, he kept walking…

Seemingly out of nowhere, Jon saw a light. The light was so bright that it almost blinded him. Jon put up his hands to protect his eyes and suddenly felt the ground fall out from under him. He held in a scream – he was in too much of a panic to scream!

Jon felt the world twirl around him for what seemed like eternity and then, seconds later, he was face down in the dirt. Jon lay still in shock but quickly relized there was chaos all around him.

"Back to the village!" a commanding voice yelled. "Everyone back to the village! There is a demon on the loose."

Jon saw feet rush past him in frantic leeps and hurried steps. "Come on!" a girl screamed as she helped him climb to his feet. "It's coming!"

Jon saw flashes of green as he swayed to his feet, feeling dizzing from even that slight movement. Still, the girl gave him no time to recover as she pulled him in the direction of sturdy looking huts. "We have to hurry," she yelled to Jon.

Jon ran blindly behind the unknown girl, hoping that she was taking him to safety. He saw flashes of what was going on through his own hazy vision and smoke. A man running from growling black vines here and a woman screaming and crying over there… The sadness and distruction went on and on.

Jon was not sure where to go or even what was really going on but he knew that he had to do something… all these people hurting… it all just had to stop. The girl who had been leading him skidded to a halt.

"NO!" She screamed as the ball of black vines with red eyes hurtled toward a young man close to the same age as Jon.

Jon moved between the vine monster and the young man without thinking. He was not trained to fight but it was too late to think of things like that.

The vine-like arms wrapped around Jon's arm. The apindige burned Jon's arm and made his skin sizzle.

"Please," Jon almost whispered.

"Puney human!" The monster sneared. The monster looked like it wanted to say more but the villagers surged from behind Jon and killed the beast before it could say more.

"Get the healer! Quick! He has been injured!" Yelled the young man that Jon had saved earlier.

"But Prince Ashitaka… should we be helping a man who has angered the gods so?" asked a villager with a thick beared.

"This man enjured himself protecting me and the whole village. The demon would have killed everyone in its path. We have to do what we can to help him now."

The villagers did what the young man said without question.

"He really must be a prince," thought Jon.


	2. Chapter 2

A woman with a wrinkled face and knarled hands came up to Jon and laid herbs and branches around him.

"This does not look good, Prince Ashitaka. The demon was strong. It was once a boar god but hate turned him into something else." The woman seemed to notice Jon for the first time. "This young man here has been cursed with the same fate – you will be consumed with hate and die."

A hush fell over the crowd whose somber mood was so thick that Jon swore he could cut it with a knife.

The old woman threw stones onto the ground and said three words with a voice that could have shook with certainty: "You must leave."

"What?" The prince yelled. "He was cursed saving us. We can't just leave him out there on his own." Jon was shocked that the prince was so concerned and was even more shocked when the old woman ignored the prince. She turned to Jon and spoke to him like he was the only one in the room.

"You are not from this time," the old woman. "There is only one way for you to ever get to where you belong. You must complete this journal alone. Go far to the west – where this bullet that drove the boar mad was made. Go there and have the curse lifted. This is the only way you can live and find a home."

Jon could not help but smile. Through all this uncertainty, he began to think that he would never see his familiar home again. Now, a sooth-sayer was telling him that he would survive, break the curse, and see home again… The old woman broke Jon's happy bubble out of the water with her next statement: "Still, use care, boy. No one can know what fate the future holds. This is a chance, not a guarantee."

Jon knew what he would have to do… His only chance was to leave.

Jon was grateful to the prince. He had insisted that the Emishi people (the people of the village Jon had protected from a demon) help Jon by providing him with as many provisions as he would need for the journey. The prince had even insisted that Jon should take the best bow the prince had.

"You have done so much already," Jon began but the prince cut him off before Jon could say that it was too much.

"The bow and supplies are all small things compared to the sacrifice you have made for us."

"Thank you, Prince. But anyone would have done the same thing. I didn't really need to think about it."

"You really are from far away, aren't you? The wise woman was right." Prince Ashitaka smiled lightly. "I always wanted to travel but I had responsibilities here."

Jon nodded in understanding. "I wasn't exactly planning on traveling today."

The two young men lapsed into silence, each looking at the other; reading the other, each knowing that the other knew exactly how the first felt and felt sympathy towards the other.

"Prince Ashitaka," the wise woman said in a commanding tone, "the supplies have been prepared. It is time for our rescuer to begin his journey. You know tradition. No one can see him go."

"He saved us and I will watch him go no matter what tradition dictates."

"Ashitaka is right," said the girl who had pulled Jon towards the village during the battle. "This man saved us."

The girl came to stand by Ashitaka and they both followed Jon as he made his way to the front gates.

"Take Yakul," the prince pointed to a large red elk by near the fense. "He is the fastest elk we have."

Jon opened his mouth but Askitaka interrupted with a firm, "I insist" before Jon could say anything.

"Here, take this to remember us," the girl told Jon as she gently pressed a crystal daggar into Jon's hand.

"I couldn't forget this place even if I tried," Jon assured them both.

He got on the large red elk and took the long road to the east…

Waiste high stone walls famed in the dirt road that Jon and Yakul traveled on. The walls made the road look like it fit into the lush, green country side. The walls framed the hills covered in flowers as readily as they framed the road that was scratched out of it.

Flowering hills gave way to crystal lakes and swampy rice fields. Jon heared screaming in the distance and heeled Yakul into a faster trot because the scream was not one of children at play. Even Jon could hear from the cries that people were screaming for their lives. They screamed with every fiber of their being and Jon could not just listen to their sounds without taking action.

Men in leather armor rode horses, wielding weapons and pointing them at unarmed women and children. Jon road foreword and attacked the men, trying to defend the helpless civilians.

One man came at Jon from the left and another from the right. He fought off as many as he could but the men just kept coming.

Jon used the bow and arrows Ashitaka had given him first and changed to a knife that the Emishi had left in his bag. Five men fell and then six more. Jon took a sword off a dead body and used it to take down more men but more kept coming out of the brush near the town.

A voice came into Jon's head and repeated, "kill, Kill, KIll, KILL!" Jon tried to ignore the voice but it got louder and louder. Jon saw white flashes, followed by brilliant and bright colors but the world seemed to slow down. Jon saw himself as if he was out of his own body. He flipped and did moves he had never even imagined. He thought he could win if the voice in his head would only stop screaming.

Jon concentrated with all that he had to stop the voice… Jon breathed a sigh of relief as the voice quieted. He saw from his own eyes again instead of out of body. Jon laughed. He had won! He turned towards the town but then heard a different voice. He turned to see but was met with blinding light. Jon saw the white turn to yellow and then purple. Color covered everything he saw. Until he felt consciousness leave him and then knew nothing but blackness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jon woke to voices talking all around him – angry voices.

"We should just kill him," one voice said.

"You've seen what he can do. He's more trouble than he's worth," said another voice. Other voices joined in the argument.

"He's practically a child."

"We've cracked trained warriors before."

"He took down four men with one swipe. He's not even human!"

Jon's eyes opened wide with a start. They couldn't be talking about him!

"Shut up! He's awake."

Jon saw bars stretching from the floor to the ceiling all around him. Jon felt fear seep through him. He wanted nothing more than to crawl away from the men but another powerful emotion overcame his fear: anger.

It was not really Jon's anger and he knew it… it was the demon who fed Jon the emotion… It was the demon who demanded "kill".

Jon tried to push the voice and the emotion away again but to no avail. He was not sure what the demon wanted but he knew that it could not be good. Jon vowed to make sure that this was the last time the demon took control… no it could not happen again. Jon could not bare to have blood on his hands again.

With difficulty, Jon was able to ask, "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

"He speaks," laughed to tallest of the men. "Wonderful." The man walked closer to the cage Jon was tied in. He took out a long metal pole and hit Jon's side with a loud TWACK. "You will do whatever I tell you to do, is that clear?"

Jon breathed through the pain in his side, sure that a rip or two was broken, but he remained silent and did not give an answer.

The man took Jon's silence as assent and set the pole down outside of Jon's reach.

"We are samurai – knights of the people – and a sick creature like you should feel honored to help us."

"You will killing unarmed children back there," Jon hissed out through gritted teeth. "You're not samurai with honor – only rohein."

The man bent down to get the pole and swung out in one neat movement. Jon groaned as the pole met his already bruised ribs.

"You will address me with respect, boy! Who are you to talk of honor – you are hardly even human! Using lightning and fire to kill men… not giving anyone a chance to defend themselves… You have no honor! This little experiment will give you the opportunity to get some."

"I won't help you hurt people." Jon tried to speak quickly because he began to feel the voice of the demon closing in again. The samurai had beaten him and he was not sure if his weakened body could fight off the demon again. "Let me out now!" He demanded.

The man bent to get the pole again and Jon began to shudder. His body was no longer in his control. The fake samurai must have noticed. He stopped mid way in his bend for the poll. He stared at Jon…

The bars in front of Jon had vanished and his eyes began to turn black. Jon's eyes slowly filled with the color of night.

"Stop him!" The man with the pole yelled to the people behind him. Seconds later the pole in the man's hands burned with a blue fire so hot that the man dropped the pole on his own foot and ran limping from the ramshackle building.

The other samurai saw their leader fleeing and they quickly followed suite, running as fast as they could be catch up.

"I knew we should have just killed him," yelled one man.

"I don't care how much mercenaries will pay for the kid," agreed another man.

Other men spoke but Jon could not hear anything over the screams of the men the demon's curse demanded he kill. Soon, there were no men within miles of the building. They were all either on the run or dead.

Jon came to himself seconds later and sank to his knees as he saw the blood and violence. Defending himself was one thing but masicuring all these people – even if they were murderers – was something else intirely.

"I have to get rid of this curse," Jon said to himself. He heard the demon's voice laughing quietly. Anger burned within Jon and forced him to act. Jon jumped to his feat and screamed, "I WILL get rid of this curse! I don't care what fate has in store. This will end in your demise – Not mine!"

The anger seemed to leave Jon has swiftly as it had come onto him. Energy and adrenaline left Jon when the anger did and it took all of Jon's concentration to stay on his feet. Jon managed to take a few steps before sinking to his knees and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jon woke once more in a panic, not because there were angry men surrounding him but because he was tied to a cart. He could only vaguely remember what happened but he was sure that whoever found him in the middle of a masicure would not be willing to listen to reason and just let him go.

The man who sat in the front of the cart hummed a strange, out-of-tune song that made Jon's toes curl, but it seemed like the man did not notice that Jon was awake. The man was short and a little thick. Jon doubted he was in the best shape to take on a young man in hand-to-hand combat. So, if worse came to worse, Jon fingured that he could just wrestle the rains from the man's hands or even leave him in the middle of the road incousious if he had to – still Jon hoped the man would just let him go without much bloodshed.

Remembering the room covered in blood made Jon's stomache turn. He heared the voice laughing in the back of his mind and swore that the demon would never get out or cause distruction again. Jon wanted nothing less than more bloodshed… but he had to get away. There was no way of knowing where this man was taking him or the reason for keeping him alive at all.

Jon shifted his weight and twisted his wrists to loosen the ropes. The knots on both writst were solid but the chaffing ropes were slowly slipping. Jon's left wrist was just about free. All Jon had to do was shift to the right and work the whole hand free. Unfortunately, the board Jon shifted onto was loose and it gave a loud CREAK as he moved his weight. Jon silently cringded and closed his eyes – hoping the man on the front of the cart would buy his act and think that Jon was still asleep.

"Glad to see you're feeling better."

Jon dropped his act and opened his eyes to stare at the man in amazement and annoyance. The man frowned at Jon's look and then burst out in a long, deep laugh seconds later.

"These eyes may be old, son, but they ain't blind."

Jon continued to pull at the ropes, practically daring the short, old man to try and stop him. The old man noticed the pulling but ignored the daring look in Jon's eyes.

"Looks like there's no reason to keep you tied now." The old man climbed over the bench to bend down and work the knots of the ropes. "I was afraid that you would fall out and hurt yourself – so the ropes were necessary."

Once the ropes were loosed and fell away, Jon was able to sit up.

"More comfortable now?" Jon watched the man werilly but did not say a word.

"Quiet guy, aren't ya. But that's alright. I'll talk – you just listen."

The man continued on in a cheerful voice ignoring the elephant in the room. "I'm Gigo by the way – just a wondering monk. I saw what you did to those samuri back there. That was amazing! Where'd you learn to do that?"

"It was a mistake to fight those samuri. I left home to stop violence. Now all of those men are dead because of me."

"They were worthless samuri thugs. The world's a better place without them!"

"They deserved a chance," Jon said in a quiet voice.

"Well, you win some and you loose some… folks would be crazy to call what happened back there loosing. You walked away and made the world a better place. It's a crazy world out there full of people who would kill each other for no reason."

The man stopped the cart to make a camp.

"The best thing you can do in a crazy world like this is take care of you and yours. Beat the odds, son."

"What are you doing out here?"

"The same thing that everyone else is doing – looking for more. I could be a man whose name lives on in history! The emperor is desperate to be a man who lives on forever and he's willing to pay anyone who is willing to help him do it."

"The emperor wants you to risk your life so that he never has to die?"

"That's the beauty of it! All I have to do is cut off the head of the Forest Spirit. Hunters from everywhere have been waiting to have a shot at this thing and I get to do it and get paid!"

"You would cut out the very heart of the forest?"

"I do what I have to do. Everyone wants everything but I might actually get it!" Jon stared at Gego in shock. The short man was sounding more and more like a spoiled child. Jon could see that the man had brains but he did not seem to use them all the time. Couldn't he see that killing the Forest Spirit would hurt everyone?

"I might share it, you know?" Gego continued, "I could use your help out there and I'd be willing to share the prize with you."

Jon opened his mouth to explain that destroying the Forest Spirit was a bad idea but Gego talked on and did not seem ready to listen.

"You don't have to answer now. I know that decisions of this magnitude require more than a moments' thought. We can discuss it more in the morning." With that Gego rolled out his blanket and slept. Jon followed suite.


	5. Chapter 5

Jon awoke before dawn and packed his things while Gego snored in his sleep. Jon planned on leaving early and being far in the west before Gego awoke. Jon could not say that he was afraid of Gego but the man's ambition was sure to get the best of him… Jon did not want to be near him when fate caught up with Gego.

Yakul danced on his feet, ready to get going. Jon threw Gego once last look before jumping onto Yakul's back and riding through the heavily forested country side. Gego saw the young man go through slanted eyes and smiled to himself, knowing that he would see the boy again. The Emishi did not travel often after all!

(Page Break)

Jon had ridden for over five hours and was beginning to run low on supplies. He saw a variety of wildlife in the trees around him and heard a rushing stream. Jon could not see the stream but he imagined a wide stream with turquoise blue water topped with white foam. The image was too good to pass up.

"I'll just step off the path for a little bit to hunt," he told himself in an almost firm voice. Jon heard about how often hunters got lost in the deep woods and Jon had no intention of becoming one of the lost. Still, he would need to get off the path if he expected to shoot anything to eat. Jon knew that he was stuck between a rock and a hard place… he did not really have a choice.

Jon walked off the path and wondered towards the sound of rushing water. He was parched with thirst and knew that other animals must be thirsty as well. They would all be gathering by the stream. Jon could kill two birds with one stone by going to the stream: he would get the water he desperately needed and hopefully, he would be able to shoot some of the wildlife that gathered by the stream.

The soft sound of flowing water was becoming a roar as Jon got closer and closer to his destination. The sound of the river seemed to echo in his ears and fill his brain. He could not hear anything but the river even though he was sure that there were other noises mixed in with the sounds of rushing water.

After a batch of sky burst through the canopy of thick leaves, Jon could see what was causing the noises: a battle was taking place above him on a high clift. Men with oxen were shooting large gunshots into the trees to the west of Jon.

"Watch out!" A woman's voice boomed through the canyon-like structure. "It's Morro!" Men screamed and shots were fired. Jon saw a giant white wolf burst through the trees and jump onto the men with the guns. More shots were fired and the wolf fell down over the cliff. Jon gasped in horror but many of the men above cheered in loud voices.

"Don't get too excited," the iron-voiced woman spoke again. "We aren't finished yet. There are still here cubs and the princess to think about. Lets get moving before they come again."

The men on the cliff moved quickly to obey the woman's orders. Jon was glad to see them go. The demon in him seemed to cheer as they killed – or tried to kill the wolf. Jon shivered even at the memory of the eerie voice in his head. The hate and anger in the voice made him want to hide from himself. Jon wanted to wash the evil out of him but he knew that they only way to do that was to travel to the far west where the demon had come from.

He walked towards the stream, trying to forget the events of the cliff and the laughter in his own head. Jon thought that a cool drink of water and some distracting game for hunting was just what he needed but he found that hunting only brought the battle of the cliff forefront.

Standing in the stream was the giant wolf who had jumped on the gunmen. Jon hid as well he could. He tried not to imagine the wolf eating him…

Jon saw a young girl around his own age come out of the forest and walk up to the giant wolf. Jon would have shouted a warning but two smaller wolves were with the girl. The wolves were bigger than you other wolves Jon had seen in his world but they were dwarfed by the wolf who fell from the cliff.

The largest wolf was bleeding badly. Jon did not know if the blood was from fighting or falling. The girl did not seem to care how the wolf got injured though.

She walked up to the wolf and began to suck the poisoned blood from the gash. Jon moved slightly closer. This girl was fearless… surely he could move to get a closer look!

The girl moved her head towards Jon and his heart stopped – not in fear but in astonishment. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen!

Her face had a perfect heart shape. Her skin practically glowed but her eyes showed so much passion. They looked brighter than the hottest of fires! Jon could tell just from looking at those eyes that she was a person with strength and passion… and she was beautiful. Her passion only enhanced her beauty.

Jon knew that he could not hide any longer. The wolves would be able to find him eventually. They would think that he had something to hide… that he was a spy or an enemy of some kind. Jon stood from his hiding place and shouted:

"I am Jon and I have travelled far from lands to the east. Please tell me, are there other gods here? Have I come at last to the realm of the Boar gods?"

"You should know," one of the wolves growled. "I can smell the Boars on you."

The other wolves began to sniff as well. "I smell human on him with the Boar," said the second smaller wolf.

"There is demon scent on him. What are you, boy?" the giant wolf demanded in a thundering voice.

Jon stood in silence, too stunned to speak. He had to admit that even if he could speak, Jon would not know how to answer. As things were, Jon could only stand in silence.

The wolves eventually got tired of waiting and began to investigate Jon further. They smelled around him and finally put their noses on him to get the purest scent possible. Jon wanted to turn away from their intense eyes and wet noses but he knew that they would feel insulted if he did – the last thing he wanted was to be surrounded by angry wolves!

"He doesn't smell like one thing… he smells like everything," one wolf said. Both smaller wolves began to whine and circle around Jon.

"He isn't a human or a demon or a boar. The boy is all three of these things," the other wolf growled this to the largest wolf and seemed to ignore everyone else.

"Then he is not one of us," the giant wolf said with assuredly.

"We should take him with us," the girl suggested. The wolves looked at her with a stare that would cause most people to blush but the girl simply stared back and continued. "To study him. The man should stay with us until we can say what he is. We may need him on our side."

"I will not allow even a speck of demon to enter my den!" The giant wolf roared and growled to prove her point and no one challenged her; the girl even shrank back for a fraction of a second. The largest wolf began to calm down. She smiled at the girl and said softly, "The boy will be observed but only from afar."

"Yes mother," all three of them said (two wolves and the girl).

"You should go away," the girl commanded Jon after climbing onto her mother. The four of them walked away back into the dark woods and disappeared.

Jon sighed after they had left his sight. He supposed that most people would be dishearten by the girl's remark. Jon was different… Her stubborn refusal and strong words only made him want her more!

"When I'm healed," he vowed to himself, "I will come back to these woods and find the girl and her wolves again. We will share a life together." The thought could only comfort Jon for a second before the demon began to laugh in his head.

"Oh, so you really think that you will be read of me so easily? I know why you are traveling and know this: I would not have allowed you to get this far if I really thought that such a journey would result in my death!"

Jon tried to hold onto the one hope he had left… he tried to ignore the voice and travel on.


	6. Chapter 6

Jon filled his bottles by the river. He saw a pheasant with a hurt leg and chased it further into the woods. The pheasant led him right to the battleground. There were two enjurged me lying on the ground moaning. Jon knew that he had to get these men to a doctor and quick. One man only had a few broken bones but the other was at death's door.

The man with a few broken bones was named Kiroku and he told Jon about a town that was close by. They were famous for their iron works and were run by a rich woman who changed the town over night.

Jon looked at the badly enjured man and knew that they had to get to this town fast and the only way to get there in time would be to travel through the center of the cursed forest. Kiroku had told Jon about the forest and the man was afraid to stand too close to it even after Jon explained that they would have to go through. Luckily, a guide of sorts came to find them.

Bonk, knonk, bonk… sounded near Yakul. A small, white, whispy spirit stood on the edge of the forest and was the sorce of the sound. Jon's mother had told him stories about spirits called Akudoma. They were nature spirits who only appeared in healthy forests.

Kiroku gave a blood-kirtling scream. "They're leading their lord and master right to us! See!" Kiroku pointed to the imerging figures of more Akudoma in acusation. "Reinforcements!"

Jon had to try not a laugh while he answered Kiroku's unspoken question. "Calm down. Yakul is not nervous even with his instincs and the Akudoma haven't done anything yet. I really don't think that they are going to."

Jon turned to the akudoma on Yakul and said quietly, "Please show us through your forest. This man's life depends on it." The little spirit did as was asked and surged foreward.

Jon put Kiroku on top of the elk Yakul and carried the other man himself – the man could not even sit up straight!

"Don't follow it!" Kiroku said fearfully. "This could be a trap!"

"Your friend is badly enjured. We need to get him to a doctor as soon as possible."

"We can go around the forest or cross the river."

"Going around will take too long and a river crossing is dangerous enough with healthy men making it. Going through the forest is your friend's only chance."

"Alright," Kiroku agreed sullenly but determinately. Even his pain muddled mind could see that this was the only way.

Jon and the others followed the Akudoma through the forest for what seemed like hours. Of course, even a short amount of time feels long when one is carrying a heavey man on their back! Jon was breathing heavily early into their treck but he tried to focus on his breathing instead of the heavey man or the tired limbs.

The little Akudoma seemed to be dancing at his feet as they led Jon through the forests and up steep hills. Kiroku followed on Yakul and never seemed to grow less afraid of the Akudoma or of the forest itself. Kiroku's nervs seemed to make the air thick. His nervousness was becoming contagious even. Jon was having a hard time concetraiting on anything.

He was not afraid of the forest like Kiroku but he was afraid that the demon inside of him would come out and strike. The thick air seemed to be playing with his mind and the demon laughed at his nervousness. Jon told himself to be strong. The weight of the enjured man on his back helped remind him what the demon could and would do… The terrible thing seemed to crave distruction and Jon swore that he would not let anything happen.

Jon looked around him as he walked. Kiroku assumed that it was to check for enemies or anyone who could be following. Really, Jon was looking around because he could sware that he heard voices. He was afraid to tell Kiroku – Jon was pretty sure that Kiroku already thought that he was a strange man and Jon did not want to risk having Kiroku think that he was ensane. Jon was also afraid than he would like to admit… and his real fear had nothing to do with Kiroku's opinions or of being followed.

Jon feared that that voices that he was hearing belonged to the demon that now lived in his head. Everyone had warned Jon that the demon was powerful and dangerous… Surely it could do more than speak in his head or take over his body…

Could the demon be taking over Kiroku or taking over the whole forest. Jon tried to quell his panic which only seemed to grow. The source of the sound became obvious to Jon; the sound was coming from the forest itself. The trees seemed to echo sounds and Jon was not sure what the source of the sound was.

All the unknowns seemed to be pileing up. The uncertainty and worry made Jon's knees feel weak but he knew that he had to remain strong… strong for these two men with him, strong for all the little Akudoma in the forest and strong for every creature in the forest. People depended on him even if they did not know it.

Jon tried to calm himself and quiet the multiple voices around him. He was not having very much luck until they got to a distinctive part of the forest. There was a strange pool surrounded by little islands of land. The place was beautiful but it was not really the sceneary Jon was interested in. He was more shocked when a strange peace came over him… There was silence.

The voices weren't bothering him in this serene place. Jon could have lept with joy he was so happy! Jon didn't because of the man on his back but he felt refreshed and renewed just by stepping into this new place.

Jon saw wolf foot prints in the wet soil as well as the girl's and his own prints. Evidently, Kiroku saw them too.

"I am not sure we should stop here, sir. Wolves or other monsters could be about," the man warned with chattering teeth.

"Don't worry," Jon soothed him. "No one will bother us here. We won't stay long."

The answer seemed to sooth Kiroku some but the man's worry was still intoxicating.

Kiroku asked if they could leave every few seconds but Jon wanted nothing more than to stay. This place was so peaceful… and it was the only place where the voices were quiet. Jon did not want to admit that he was afraid to leave (afraid to face the voices) but that is really what it all came down to.

Kiroku could not wait to leave and Jon could not face going… Jon tried to work up the nearve to leave the swampy pool area. He was in the process of moving he now heavey feet when he saw something he would NEVER forget:

There was a deer with the face of a man and feet unlike any Jon had ever seen.

The creature looked at Jon straight in the eye and Jon felt all the breath leave him. It was like he forgot the steps to breathing – the creature was just staring so intently! Jon began to gt some air back but it all left him at ten times the speed when Jon heard a voice in his head.

It was not the voice of the demon or the many voices he hear in the trees… it was the voice of the deer creature.

"It is good that you come… the forest will soon need you." The creature spoke in Jon's head but its voice was strong, reverberating and crystal clear. The sound of the voice seemed to echo across the marchy pools but as soon as the echo faded the creature was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Jon found that he could move his feet with ease as soon as the creature vanished. It was not just that he could leave the pool; it was that nothing was holding him back. He was no longer afraid to leave the pool.

The voices were no longer some threatening thing that might be a demon. They were a welcoming, warm voice. It was like a family gathering where everyone said the same greeting and everyone meant it with enthusiasum.

Jon could not remember or even imagine why he thought that these voices where from the demon that now lived within him. He remembered that he had been very afraid of these voices – and of the voice within him – but he also remembered the peace he had found by that pool and he held onto that.

The peace was so deep, so fulfilling and all-consuming that Jon knew that no demon could break through it. If the world were a perfect place, everyone would feel a peace as deep for every second of everyday but Jon had already seem enough to know that the world is not perfect and that it is full of demons – even if most of them are hidden! Still, Jon knew that the at least a part of the peace he had found would stay with him always and it gave him comfort.

Truly seeing the Great Spirit forces all the senses to react; not sight alone, so the connection opens more than a mere verbal or written description can describe. Jon tried to ask Kiroku if he had felt something similar but he did not get far before fumbling for the simplest phrase and remaining silent.

"Kiroku, did you feel…"

"What do you mean? Were you hurt back there?"

"It's nothing." The two men let the conversation end at that. They walked on but the whole situation had a different tone. Jon was no longer tired and his mussles were not so sore, the man Jon carried breathed with fewer labored breaths and Kiroku's arm no londer pained him.

"I'm healed!" he yelled in triumph and waved his enjured arm in the air only to make a pained face and grunt while he pulled his arm back to him. "No, still broken."

Jon tried to just walk and enjoy the quiet and coolness of the forest. Again, Jon heared the multiple voices of the forest but he was not afraid this time. Instead of trying to ignor it, Jon concentraited on it and was able to hear words chanted in an almost song:

"We are the trees, We are the trees, we dig deep and grow with the greatest of ease."

The chant seemed to repeat over and over. Jon found himself humming along. Kiroku looked at Jon a little strangely but the trees seemed to appreciate the accompionment. They even began to say new things.

"The town you seek is close at hand, they break and wreck throughout the land."

Jon tried to hum a little sweeter to thank the trees for their help as he quickened his pace to get to the town all the more speedily. Kiroku had been saying that the town was close before they got to the pools – needless to say, Jon did not really trust his judgement of distance. To hear the trees say that the place really was near made it seem more real.

The trees continued to sing and chant. The melodious sound made Jon think that nothing could dampen his mood but then, he began to smell smoke.

"They cut, they burn us!" The wailing of the trees made Jon's blood run cold. He was not sure what he was walking into but each passing moment made him more and more anxious.

Kiroku was smiling now as a pilliar of smoke came into view. It was easy to see the pilliar because it came from the top of a tall hill that was almst a mountain. Jon had to try not to grimace at the smell of the burning stuff. It did not burn his sences but it smelled of death and anger – the trees' death and anger.

"You got us back, just like you promised!" Kiroku's smile got even bigger.

"Let's get your friend to the doctor." Jon checked that the man was breathing steadily and began to pick up the pace. The water from the pools really had done the man a world of good. Jon was not sure the man would even survive the journey to the town but now the man seemed to be breathing easier as he grew stronger each day. It had to be a miracle!

Jon quickened his and Yakul's pace to get to the town. The enjured man was breathing but it was clear that he was far from healthy and Jon wanted to get him to a real doctor before his life was in danger. People began poking their heads out of their windows and shots rose from the town.

"It's me! Kiroku the Ox driver! Ha Ha!"

"He's alive!"

"It's Kiroku!" Came the yelling of the townspeople from three or four different directions until a sizable crowd surrounded Kiroku, Jon and Yakul while some of the older townspeople took the enjured man from Jon's arms. The people all talked at once but the talk quieted and the crowd parted to allow a large man through.

He was tall with broad shoulders and a wide stride. He looked like a man who demanded action; a man people listened to, but he blanched as he walked past a few of the women of the town. Jon could see who was really in chage of the town but it was also obvous that this man liked to think that he was in charge and the women seemed to let him.

"Hold on one second, stranger! I'm grateful that you brought these men back to us but a few things still smell fishy. You made it back here close to the same time as us – through the forbidden forest and with two badly enjured men. You could not have done that easily."

The man spoke while taking Kiroku and Jon aside to a small, cluttered room, covered in paper.

"Tell me now, how did you make it through the forest?"

Kiroku told the man how they had made it through the forest. Jon could tell that Kiroku knew more than most people thought he did – not because he told the man more than Jon expected him to but because Kiroku focused on Jon's heroism.

Kiroku told the man, Gonza, Jon later knew his name was; about how Jon chased wolves away and carried the enjured man across the rough ground. Kiroku told Gonza that Jon threatened the Akudoma into helping them and leading the way through the woods. Kiroku believed that was why they had made it through the forest so quickly.

Jon saw that Gonza was surprised at some parts but he could also see that Gonza believed Kiroku's story. Gonza looked at Kiroku and Jon with slight admiration. Jon did not want to think about what else he saw in Gonza's eyes.

"I think that you'll be staying with us awhile, young man."


End file.
